Ex-Basketball Star’s Mother Killed By Illegal Migrant Drunk Driver

The mother of former WNBA star Sophie Brunner was killed in a head-on crash in Illinois, and the driver responsible has been identified as an illegal immigrant with a long history of criminal behavior, including multiple DUIs.

The fatal collision occurred around 12:30 p.m. on August 9 on Illinois Route 26 near Oneco Road in Stephenson County. According to the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office, 61-year-old Darcy Connolly-Brunner was driving a Ford Edge when 30-year-old Rolando Ico-Choc, driving a Nissan Altima, crossed the center line and struck her vehicle head-on. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. No passengers were involved.

Sheriff Stovall said authorities have not been able to locate an address for Ico-Choc, though they believe he is a Guatemalan national who once lived in Freeport. One of the crash victims, Darcy Connolly-Brunner, was a longtime resident of Stephenson County and the mother of four, including local basketball star Sophie Brunner.

“One of the lives was someone I knew well, Darcy Connolly-Brunner,” Stovall said during Tuesday’s news conference. “Darcy was more than just a member of the community, she was a friend. She was a kind and giving person who cared deeply for her family and friends.”

Darcy Connolly-Brunner

Stovall said he made the decision to delay releasing the victims’ names in order to give the Stephenson County Coroner’s Office time to reach next of kin for Ico-Choc. He also noted that investigators found evidence at the scene suggesting alcohol may have been a factor in the crash.

Stovall clarified during the news conference that he was confident Brunner was not under the influence at the time of the collision. Toxicology tests will be part of the autopsy process, he said, though results could take several weeks to come back.

Authorities confirmed that Ico-Choc was illegally present in the United States and had a disturbing criminal history involving multiple arrests in recent years. In March 2022, Ico-Choc was arrested for driving under the influence, operating a vehicle without a valid license, and illegal transportation of alcohol. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DUI and was placed on court supervision.

In February 2023, while still under court supervision, he was arrested again for DUI. He later pleaded guilty and served 80 days in jail. In June 2023, Ico-Choc pleaded guilty to domestic battery and served six days in jail.

Sophie Brunner forward for Phoenix Mercury at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix,AZ USA May 17,2017.

Despite these repeated offenses, Ico-Choc remained free in Illinois, a state that limits cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities due to laws such as the TRUST Act. That legislation, signed in 2017, bars local police from detaining individuals solely based on their immigration status unless a judicial warrant is issued.

The circumstances of the crash and Ico-Choc’s background have prompted strong criticism from elected officials.

State Senator Andrew Chesney, who represents the area where the crash occurred, said the tragedy was preventable and blamed state immigration policies for allowing Ico-Choc to remain in the community.

“A woman who dedicated her life to her family and her community was killed in broad daylight by a man who never should have been in this country or on the road,” Chesney said in a statement. “His criminal record includes prior charges of DUI, aggravated (felony) DUI, and battery.”

“Additionally, it was confirmed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that he was in this country illegally, having crossed the border a few years ago during the Biden administration. Yet, thanks to Illinois’ TRUST Act and the SAFE-T Act, he remained in this country and was free to get back behind the wheel of a car and kill an innocent woman. It’s unacceptable, and I am sickened by it.”

State Representative John Cabello also pointed to Illinois’s sanctuary-style policies and said the legislature has created an environment where individuals with dangerous histories are able to remain in communities without accountability.

Darcy Connolly-Brunner was the mother of four children, including Sophie Brunner, a standout athlete who gained national recognition for her basketball career. Sophie starred at Aquin High School in Freeport before moving on to Arizona State University, where she became an All-Pac-12 selection and later played in the WNBA for the Phoenix Mercury in 2017.